16. jul, 2014

Reflections From A Cinematic Cesspool

The Kuchar Brothers (George passed away in 2011) make movies for very little money. Their movies are intensely personal, funny and brilliant and they've been making 'em since they were preteens using their aunt's 8mm camera inspired by the melodramas of Douglas Sirk as well as any piece of cinema they could devour. Even though they're not household names like many of the people they've inspired (Andy Warhol, John Waters, Wayne Wang), the Kuchar Brothers' contribution to American Underground Cinema is just as grand. Their book Reflections From A Cinematic Cesspool gives a little taste of what's behind it all and it's a lot like the Brothers' movies - funny, moving, and whimsical with their own personal dreams, obsessions and demons as fuel. If you've never heard of them, this book will serve as a good introduction to their work which consists of great titles like Sins Of The Fleshapoids, Hold Me While I'm Naked, I Was A Teenage Rumpot and I Married A Heathen. Whether you know them or not, you will find this book invaluable. Forget all those pompous books about filmmaking, often written by boring professors. Just read Mike Kuchars' chapter ' The Metaphysics of Moviemaking,' it's the best piece I've read so far about making movies. In 2009 Jennifer Kroot, one of George's former students, made ' It Came From Kuchar,' a loving, zany documentary about the Kuchar Brothers. Maybe their movies will not be everybody's ' cup of tea,' but I'm sure that if you'll watch the documentary and read their book, you'll be captivated by their enchanting spirits and love them.